1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for adding an item to a screen.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional setting screen through which a user inputs settings about an apparatus or an application is hard coded by a developer. When the developer adds a new function to the application or the application, the developer creates a new setting screen by adding an item for receiving settings about the new function to an existing setting screen.
On the other hand, when a user adds the new function to the apparatus or the application, the user cannot add the item to the existing setting screen that has been created by the developer. Even when a third vender adds the new function to the apparatus or the application, it is difficult to add the new item to the existing setting screen.
Some users create the new setting screen suitable for the new function from scratch instead of modifying the existing setting screen. However, from the user friendliness, the manner of adding the item corresponding to the new function to the existing setting screen is preferable.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H11-212694 discloses a conventional method of editing the setting screen. In the conventional method, each item included in the setting screen is set to either a display status or a hide status. If a function corresponding to a hidden item is added, the user will set the item to the display status to display the item on the setting screen.
However, in the conventional technology, the item of which the user can set the display/hide status is limited to items that are associated with the setting screen. When the new function is added, the user cannot display the item corresponding to the new function on the setting screen, because the new items are not associated with the setting screen. Accordingly, it is difficult to add the item corresponding to the new function to the existing setting screen.